With Haringey’s record on rubbish in the spotlight, Stroud Green by election candidate Laura Edge is presenting hundreds of petition signatures from Haringey residents calling for the Council to scrap its controversial charges for the collection of bulky waste.

Lib Dems say that partly because of the charges, large items such as old fridges and other large waste litter the borough’s streets. The petition will be handed in today by Lib Dem councillors at the full Council meeting.

Laura Edge says Haringey’s policy is a false economy, as it results in the unscrupulous dumping of these large items – with Haringey having to foot the bill anyway, as they have to clear up the mess. The Labour council has recently admitted to Lib Dem councillors that demand for collections of bulky rubbish has declined by almost 75% since the introduction of the charges.

Stroud Green candidate Laura Edge comments:

“It is time Haringey reversed its stance on this issue, as it is leading to more dumping in the area. Any revenue the Council gains is more than outweighed by the extra fly-tipping. Some residents cannot afford bulk collections, and resent paying when they believe this should be covered by the Council Tax.”

Alexandra Palace’s future was thrown into further doubt last week, when Labour and the Conservatives combined to push through Parliament the Labour run Council’s plan to effectively sell off the Palace, with an unfettered, 125 year lease to developers.

Local Liberal Democrats have been campaigning against the plans and the Lib Dem Culture Spokesperson Don Foster MP began the debate in Parliament with a detailed speech explaining Lib Dem concerns. He was backed by London Lib Dem Mayoral candidate Simon Hughes who also spoke against the statutory instrument permitting the controversial move.

The Lib Dems had called for the debate, which took place on Wednesday 14th January, as they believe that the Labour Council is trying to push the Palace into private hands and effectively wipe out the Alexandra Palace and Park (APP) Charity and the original APP Act.

Mr Foster and Mr Hughes made strong and eloquent arguments against the proposed changes to the act. They argued that:

* The power being sought was too great.

* The financial case did not justify the transfer of this charity into private hands.

* The power to broaden trusteeship, so that the Council, with all its conflicts of interest, was no longer the sole trustee, was the key initial change that should be sought.

Despite what many neutral observers viewed as a strong and coherent case against the plans by the Lib Dems, the vote was predictable with the Labour members voting in favour of the changes. Interestingly for changes that would result in privatisation of the APP charity, the Conservatives abstained, seemingly reflecting their unease over the proposals.

Lib Dem spokesperson on Alexandra Palace, Cllr Bob Hare was disappointed with the result but was extremely pleased by the Lib Dems performance in the debate, and says Haringey’s Lib Dems will continue to fight for properly thought out future for the Palace and not just a quick sell-off.

The Lib Dems believe that the involvement of private enterprise is one piece of the jigsaw needed to get the fully-working Palace that everyone wants, but for a much shorter-term and as part of a plan that involves broader trustees and which properly respects the objectives of the Park and Palace Trust.

Cllr Hare comments:

“I am delighted at how eloquently Simon and Don presented our arguments. It is sad that the Conservatives and Labour members had made up their minds prior to the debate and showing the disinterest they both have in preserving a building that has not just historic significance but real practical value to Haringey and London.

“This is not the end of the matter, we will continue to fight what we believe is an ‘at any cost’ selling of Haringey’s finest landmark. We will battle to prevent the Palace’s historically and cultural value being diminished for the sake of a ‘fast buck’.”

Lib Dem Councillor Lynne Featherstone has now received written confirmation from the Metropolitan Police that funding has now been officially agreed to allow the reopening of the Muswell Hill police station front counter.

The letter sent on the 15th January by DCS Colette Paul, confirms that ‘necessary arrangements’ can now be made following the successful allocation of funding for the reopening. She goes on to congratulate Ms Featherstone for her success in campaigning on the issue.

Cllr Featherstone, who has campaigned for well over two years to have the front desk at Muswell Hill reopened is delighted by the news, which will mean that residents in the area will finally have somewhere local to report crime face-to-face. The head of the Met, Sir John Stevens, has requested to open the front desk with Ms Featherstone later this year.

Cllr Featherstone comments:

“I am absolutely delighted that our campaign has succeeded. There is still a lot or work to do, and now we have to contact again those who have volunteered, find more recruits, and get them trained to ensure that the opening can go ahead as soon as possible. I will be working with local commander Stephen Bloomfield to ensure this happens. Without the support local groups and local residents who signed the petition, we would not have reached this stage, and we have made progress.”

Controversial plans to build eight new three-storey houses with twelve parking spaces on the land of 85-87 Woodside Avenue, at the rear of Lauradale Road, have been rejected following an unprecedented number of letters and emails opposing the development. The plans were originally withdrawn in July last year after the planning department recommended the application be refused following strong objections from residents and local Lib Dem councillors.

The application was resubmitted late last year with a few alterations to meet some of the shortcomings highlighted in the original development plans. However the Planning Sub-Committee on Thursday (15th January) agreed with the planning department that a number of issues regarding traffic and space had not been addressed and it was refused.

The recommendation for refusal came off the back of some 101 letters and a petition with over 300 signatures to the Council from local residents, parents of children at nearby Teatherdown Primary School and Friends of the Earth expressing their opposition to the development.

Fortis Green Councillor, Matt Davies has been working closely with local residents on this issue and is delighted that once again local residents have shown a united front and prevented the development from going ahead.

Cllr Davies comments:

“The planning application submitted was almost identical to the previous plans, which was rightly rejected by the Council following a concerted campaign by Lib Dem councillors and local residents. I am delighted that this application has met the same end.”

“Once again residents objected in huge numbers and have succeeded in keeping the developers hands off this piece of land.”

A dangerous pedestrian crossing in Muswell Hill that has been the scene of a number of near misses has finally been improved following a year of pressure from local Lib Dem councillor Lynne Featherstone.

The pedestrian crossing at the busy Priory Road/ Muswell Hill junction was condemned as ‘dangerous’ by local residents who complained to Ms Featherstone that the crossing did not allow enough time for cars to clear before the green man appeared.

Ms Featherstone (Muswell Hill) contacted the Council last year and following a site visit was told that the crossing was safe. However following further complaints, Ms Featherstone requested that the Council considered extending the inter-green period by just a few seconds to ensure that a serious accident did not occur. The Council agreed to this and has now implemented the much needed safety measure.

Cllr Featherstone comments:

“I am pleased that the council has now acted before a serious incident occurred. Road safety in the borough is a problem and everything must be done to ensure the safety of both road users and pedestrians.”

Local Liberal Democrats will go to Parliament this Wednesday (14th January 2004) to try and prevent the Labour run Council changing the Alexandra Park and Palace Act so they can effectively sell Alexandra Palace to private developers. The Lib Dems, who have forced a debate on the controversial plans, will be represented in committee by Culture, Media and Sport spokesperson, Don Foster MP and Simon Hughes MP. The party is concerned that the local Labour Council is trying to push the Palace into private hands and effectively wipe out the Alexandra Palace and Park (APP) Charity and the original APP Act.

The plan by the Labour Council is to alter the current Act regarding the Palace which will allow the Board of Trustees to present a developer with an unfettered 125 year lease to the Palace and the area of the park near the Palace. Lib Dem spokesperson on Alexandra Palace, Cllr Bob Hare, believes that the reasoning behind the alterations does not stand up to scrutiny. He says that the Council is being pushed by a secret deal with its preferred developer, signed years ago, and that it has an immense conflict of interest between its own finances and those of the Palace, which is supposed to be an independent charitable trust. Cllr Hare is also concerned about the potential negative affect of the changes on the historic value of the Palace, which still contains the studios where the world’s television broadcasting began.

Cllr Hare says there are far better ways of managing the Palace and Park and that the market is now very different and far better opportunities exist. He adds that despite the depleted state of the building and its being run for years in a short-term fashion, the Trust is generating substantial amounts of money, sufficient to be able to choose commercial partners without losing the building. He also cautions that substantial financial risk and commitments remain with the Trust.

London Mayoral candidate Simon Hughes added his support to the Lib Dem group’s campaign when he visited the Palace on Saturday (10h January) underlining the importance of the Palace’s heritage, not just to Haringey but to all Londoners.

Cllr Hare is hoping that the Lib Dems in Parliament are able to block the Labour Council’s plans on Wednesday. This will make the Council look at alternative arrangements, such as broadening the trusteeship away from the Council’s exclusive and controversial control, with possible commercial partners on shorter-term leases. In the interests of all Londoners, all trustees, and not just the Labour ones should agree key issues. Lib Dems say that the Palace needs a board that is more in keeping with such a historic monument of national importance.

Cllr Bob Hare comments:

“We must fight the Council’s plans. Ally Pally is a landmark for Haringey and for London. To degrade it by handing its future to developers whose plans are so lacking in inspiration would be disgraceful and an extraordinary act of public robbery.

Lib Dem group leader, Cllr Neil Williams adds:

“The present state of the Palace reflects two decades of mismanagement by the Labour Council. Rather than work with interested parties who want to help increase profitability while maintaining its heritage the Council is trying to get rid of it at any cost. Their way forward is utterly lacking in either good sense or imagination.”